What would I do if I were the pope for a day and could only make one change?
I would make it far easier for Protestants to formally convert to Catholicism. Right now, as many have pointed out, the process is terribly long, complicated and incredibly theologically nitpicky. This nitpickyness would not seem so out of place if it were regularly demanded of all members. Instead, it stands out starkly because it is NOT demanded of nearly anyone else in the dioceses. They were born into it, catechized at a young age, (before any of their more lasting beliefs were hammered out in the teenage years or twenties), and then left to receive mass for the rest of their years without second thought. The result is that, on the ground, the church of Rome is the most theologically diverse of all Christian denominations. On paper, the magisterium has everything pinned and labelled meticulously. Apparently though, the only ones who get beat over the head with reams of the Vatican’s paper are Bishop candidates and…new Protestant converts. Few of the billion plus faithful even know what’s all in there, or care and there is little care whether they do or not.
Oh! But you would not dare water down the holy catechism! Well, too late. It’s already been cut with gallons of folk religion and diversity of thought, as all faiths have. It is a noble cause for church renewal movements to strive to bring folks back toward the center of orthodoxy. That’s good, but reserve your hottest refining fires for your priests and bishops. The poor in the narthex, pounding on the door with their fists, crying out to the Triune God, need not strive so hard. For Christ’s sake (and I mean that not as a swear phrase) do not make them jump through five-flaming hoops while peddling a unicycle just to get in the door. There is plenty of bread at the table of the Lord.